Not the ideal start for you. Seems like we had a similar Tasmania experience. I’m sure you’ll bounce back. Zmorka will be a great rider this season I Think.
@SotD and red: Yes, we did expect January to not be a good month points wise, but I do feel like we got what we were hoping for from here with no extra luck added. Hopefully Zmorka keeps this up all through the season because we'll surely need it!
January was always going to be a quiet month for us and that's how it ended up. We have some catching up to do if we want to stay ahead of the curve in the relegation race. This month has a lot of scoring potential, but it can also go downhill very easily with some bad luck!
Roma Maxima
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Hugo Hofstetter
74
62
66
70
64
71
71
75
73
77
78
71
68
66
Logan Owen
73
65
67
69
62
73
71
72
78
64
71
68
74
64
Diego Rossi
77
65
68
70
72
74
73
69
75
68
69
70
65
76
Daan Hoole
73
68
68
67
74
74
76
69
75
68
69
70
70
71
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
Piet Allegaert
74
59
63
66
65
74
75
62
72
72
71
67
65
68
Jo Kogstad Ringheim
69
65
65
64
63
70
66
68
75
70
70
63
64
63
Kenny Elissonde
63
75
73
70
60
71
72
74
63
52
61
58
69
60
Tactics
The cobbles outing of the season, and Owen will be our leader for the first time ever. We've brought all our cobbles riders feasible for this one. Hoping for depth scoring.
Expectation: Top 15 Watch Out For: Diego Rossi
Tirreno-Adriatico
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Jack Haig
72
83
79
74
77
76
75
78
58
61
73
70
67
77
Jaime Roson
67
78
77
76
61
67
70
77
53
54
74
73
66
58
Szymon Rekita
72
58
61
63
79
70
73
73
62
69
70
63
73
78
Leo Hayter
73
77
73
68
74
74
74
71
61
66
75
66
70
75
Esow Alben
75
58
61
64
63
72
66
66
52
75
77
62
65
71
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
Naveen John
68
70
69
68
75
70
73
72
58
64
67
74
66
76
Sergio Arias Villanueva
73
60
62
63
75
73
74
70
61
62
68
70
65
75
Tactics
First race for Haig as our leader is also our first goal of the season! We picked this race as our Top 3 goal, but we expect a hugely difficult startlist. Our realistic goal here is a Top 5 with Haig with some stage placings to boot. We've brought along Rekita for TTT leadership, while Alben is here to gain some experience in the flat stage.
Expectation: Top 5 (Top 3 goal) Watch Out For: Jack Haig
Paris-Nice
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Marlen Zmorka
74
61
64
66
82
74
75
72
61
62
70
67
60
82
Mick Van Dijke
69
73
76
78
71
74
75
72
67
71
74
76
72
72
Alexandr Kulikovskiy
73
64
68
71
64
70
73
78
61
78
79
65
67
66
Diego Rossi
77
65
68
70
72
74
73
69
75
68
69
70
65
76
Hayden McCormick
70
66
71
76
65
74
71
70
53
73
73
67
59
65
Lennard Hofstede
70
70
73
76
62
73
71
72
61
61
74
78
71
62
Bryan Raul Obando
64
74
73
72
69
67
70
73
51
60
64
77
65
70
Ricardo Broxham
69
71
71
71
73
70
70
70
60
67
68
68
65
73
Tactics
A fully developed MVD leads our line for the very time in a race which strangely might suit him after all. We do have leaders for all types of stages, so it's a case of whether they can show up at the right place at the right time.
Expectation: Top 20 Watch Out For: Marlen Zmorka
Classique du Grand-Duché
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Logan Owen
73
65
67
69
62
73
71
72
78
64
71
68
74
64
Nicolay Cherkasov
80
70
71
71
66
72
74
66
61
70
75
65
67
68
Dinmukhammed Ulysbayev
70
76
74
72
72
72
71
72
60
62
65
68
64
71
Daan Hoole
73
68
68
67
74
74
76
69
75
68
69
70
70
71
Piet Allegaert
74
59
63
66
65
74
75
62
72
72
71
67
65
68
Kenny Elissonde
63
75
73
70
60
71
72
74
63
52
61
58
69
60
Mikel Agirrebeitia
67
73
70
66
73
69
72
67
60
55
67
61
73
69
Adam Holm Jorgensen
72
55
57
59
71
68
64
72
53
58
64
64
65
73
Tactics
A throwaway race as we did not have a leader to assign to this race with the clashes and other engagements.
Expectation: Top 100 Watch Out For: Kenny Elissonde
Copenhagen-Malmo TTT
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Marlen Zmorka
74
61
64
66
82
74
75
72
61
62
70
67
60
82
Szymon Rekita
72
58
61
63
79
70
73
73
62
69
70
63
73
78
Leo Hayter
73
77
73
68
74
74
74
71
61
66
75
66
70
75
Daan Hoole
73
68
68
67
74
74
76
69
75
68
69
70
70
71
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
Naveen John
68
70
69
68
75
70
73
72
58
64
67
74
66
76
Ricardo Broxham
69
71
71
71
73
70
70
70
60
67
68
68
65
73
Sergio Arias Villanueva
73
60
62
63
75
73
74
70
61
62
68
70
65
75
Tactics
We tried to build our TTT team to be competitive in the off-season and this is the first big test for the same.
Expectation: Top 5 Watch Out For: Marlen Zmorka
Milano San Remo
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Alexandr Kulikovskiy
73
64
68
71
64
70
73
78
61
78
79
65
67
66
Diego Rossi
77
65
68
70
72
74
73
69
75
68
69
70
65
76
Nicolay Cherkasov
80
70
71
71
66
72
74
66
61
70
75
65
67
68
Hayden McCormick
70
66
71
76
65
74
71
70
53
73
73
67
59
65
Esow Alben
75
58
61
64
63
72
66
66
52
75
77
62
65
71
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
Piet Allegaert
74
59
63
66
65
74
75
62
72
72
71
67
65
68
Jo Kogstad Ringheim
69
65
65
64
63
70
66
68
75
70
70
63
64
63
Tactics
Kulikovskiy and Cherkasov share leadership in our first ever non-wildcard Monument outing. We do not have high expectations if it comes down to a sprint finish, but we're hoping for a surprise if possible from our roluers.
Expectation: Top 25 Watch Out For: Nicolay Cherkasov
Much more to look forward to in February for us, but we don't really have any margin for error in the races where we have our team leaders attending! We will need some luck in the other races, and that will be true all through the season.
February brings more race-days and a lot more expectations! We were placed last in the rankings after a couple of January races, which wasn't the biggest surprise though. We needed to get into a rhythm for the season in this month.
Roma Maxima
The first race of the month was our first outing on the cobbles for the season and the first chance to see Owen and our motley crew try to take on some of the best Northern Classics riders in the MG universe. We didn't join the break, instead focusing on keeping our leader safe. Both Owen and Hofstetter were in the lead group with 7.5 km to go, but accelerations after that meant they couldn't keep up any more. They finished 13th and 14th, riding mostly a lonely race to the finish in the closing kilometers. We did quite well in terms of depth, so this was a satisfactory result, without really challenging at the front.
General Classification
13
Hugo Hofstetter
Sony - Force India
+ 2'45
14
Logan Owen
Sony - Force India
+ 3'06
23
Diego Rossi
Sony - Force India
+ 4'04
26
Daan Hoole
Sony - Force India
s.t.
48
Jo Kogstad Ringheim
Sony - Force India
+ 4'28
58
Piet Allegaert
Sony - Force India
+ 6'18
74
Tim Van Dijke
Sony - Force India
+ 6'40
131
Kenny Elissonde
Sony - Force India
+ 15'17
Tirreno-Adriatico
The race started with a Prologue, where Tim Van Dijke did quite well but Rekita disappointed somewhat. The former led the U25s at the end of the stage. Haig lost time to only one of his GC rivals.
Stage 2 was flat. Alben got involved in the sprint, which was all that we could really ask for. He finished 13th, which was decent.
We got through the hilly Stage 3 without any damage, which was the goal.
The first mountain stage - Stage 4 - started well enough, with the team protecting Haig well and Roson keeping him in the front group till under 3 km to go. However, when the decisive attack came, Haig couldn't stay in touch, and finished in 7th, in the third group on the road, settling into 5th in the GC.
Stage 5 followed mostly the same script, with us also contributing to the chase of the break. This finish seemed to be a little easier as ten riders finished in the lead group, with Haig finishing 4th, just missing out on bonus seconds but still holding on to his GC.
We didn't bring Zmorka for the TTT on Stage 6, so it was up to the others to help Haig in his GC quest. They did well enough, losing just 18 seconds on the day, and preserving our leader's position in the GC.
Stage 7 was for all the marbles. Unfortunately for us, Haig seemed to lose most of his marbles, and support, at the worst possible time, losing time and positions on the final climb, eventually ending up 10th on the day, and slipping to 8th in the GC. The good news for us was Hayter moving into the top spot of the U25s, giving us some consolation, but it wasn't enough probably. We did finish 3rd in the Teams classification.
General Classification
8
Jack Haig
Sony - Force India
+ 3'36
32
Leo Hayter
Sony - Force India
+ 21'02
40
Jaime Roson
Sony - Force India
+ 26'39
58
Naveen John
Sony - Force India
+ 1h09'15
83
Tim Van Dijke
Sony - Force India
+ 1h34'07
152
Sergio Arias Villanueva
Sony - Force India
+ 2h18'01
160
Esow Alben
Sony - Force India
+ 2h22'09
165
Szymon Rekita
Sony - Force India
+ 2h25'41
Haig finished 9th in the Points.
Paris-Nice
Stage 1 was a bust with Kulikovskiy not able to challenge.
Stage 2 was semii-hilly and the first opportunity to see what MVD could do as a leader. Kulikovskiy did a fantastic job of 'leading him out' on the slightly uphill finish. MVD jumped off the slipstream with just 200 meters to go and had the legs to carry to his first ever Win, and that too in his first ever PT race!
Stage 3 was flat again, and while Kulikovskiy did better, it was still not enough for a top 10 spot.
Stage 4 was flat again, and Kulikovskiy did even worse!
Stage 5 was the hardest in the race, but the end was easier. MVD was in good form once again, mixing it up with the sprinters and stronger punchers to claim 5th.
Stage 6 wasn't to the liking of either MVD or Zmorka, and the for the latter, it was a prime stage on which he could be dropped. We were able to hold it together though, and kept both our leaders in the pack at the finish.
The all important Stage 7 ITT saw Zmorka retain his form from Tasmania, and claim 2nd once again, moving up to 2nd in the GC as a result.
We kept our leaders out of trouble again on Stage 8, preserving Zmorka's GC podium, and MVD's Top 20. McCormick finished 4th on the stage with Zmorka in 8th.
General Classification
2
Marlen Zmorka
Sony - Force India
+ 3
17
Mick Van Dijke
Sony - Force India
+ 1'53
51
Alexandr Kulikovskiy
Sony - Force India
+ 4'08
56
Lennard Hofstede
Sony - Force India
+ 4'25
58
Hayden McCormick
Sony - Force India
+ 4'34
93
Ricardo Broxham
Sony - Force India
+ 9'19
98
Bryan Raul Obando
Sony - Force India
+ 10'01
100
Diego Rossi
Sony - Force India
+ 10'13
MVD finished 8th in the Points and 5th in the U25s. Rossi finished 8th in the KOM. We finished 3rd in the Teams again.
Classique du Grand-Duché
We had no expectations from this race. Cherkasov exceeded them by finishing 35th.
General Classification
35
Nicolay Cherkasov
Sony - Force India
+ 5'27
92
Dinmukhammed Ulysbayev
Sony - Force India
+ 13'44
113
Logan Owen
Sony - Force India
+ 15'03
121
Mikel Agirrebeitia
Sony - Force India
+ 16'16
132
Daan Hoole
Sony - Force India
+ 17'34
138
Kenny Elissonde
Sony - Force India
+ 18'16
148
Piet Allegaert
Sony - Force India
+ 19'48
161
Adam Holm Jorgensen
Sony - Force India
+ 31'22
Copenhagen-Malmo TTT
We were hoping for a near Top 5 from this race, after having invested in a semi-competitive TTT unit in the off season. We were a little disappointing, eventually finishing 9th.
General Classification
9
Sony - Force India
+ 48
Milano San Remo
We went into the first Monument of our PT journey with a two-pronged attack of Kulikovskiy for the sprint, and Cherkasov for late attacks. Kulikovskiy sprinted well, taking 10th from the bunch, but that was good for only a 20th place, as a ten rider group were able to get away in the closing stage.
General Classification
20
Alexandr Kulikovskiy
Sony - Force India
s.t.
63
Hayden McCormick
Sony - Force India
s.t.
64
Nicolay Cherkasov
Sony - Force India
s.t.
119
Diego Rossi
Sony - Force India
s.t.
137
Tim Van Dijke
Sony - Force India
s.t.
141
Piet Allegaert
Sony - Force India
s.t.
150
Jo Kogstad Ringheim
Sony - Force India
s.t.
189
Esow Alben
Sony - Force India
s.t.
We had one very good race this month - Paris-Nice. It was much better than what we were hoping for. Both MSR and Grand Duche were also better than expected, but that isn't worth a lot of points. Roma met expectations while the TTT was slightly under. The big disappointment was Tirreno, where Haig could barely make an impact. This is not a good omen for our season overall!
Edited by AbhishekLFC on 13-11-2025 10:23
February was a good month for us, points-wise, but we're still quite low in the standings on account of fewer RDs raced. March doesn't see either of Haig or Zmorka riding, so we're definitely looking at a smaller return, and probably fall further in the table. However, we hope we can have another surprise result or two to help us in the long run.
Ronde van Nederland
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Mick Van Dijke
69
73
76
78
71
74
75
72
67
71
74
76
72
72
25
Diego Rossi
77
65
68
70
72
74
73
69
75
68
69
70
65
76
25
Nicolay Cherkasov
80
70
71
71
66
72
74
66
61
70
75
65
67
68
29
Hayden McCormick
70
66
71
76
65
74
71
70
53
73
73
67
59
65
31
Lennard Hofstede
70
70
73
76
62
73
71
72
61
61
74
78
71
62
31
Bryan Raul Obando
64
74
73
72
69
67
70
73
51
60
64
77
65
70
24
Kenny Elissonde
63
75
73
70
60
71
72
74
63
52
61
58
69
60
34
Ricardo Broxham
69
71
71
71
73
70
70
70
60
67
68
68
65
73
25
Tactics
MVD is back to lead our line for the second time. The parcours here does not quite suit him, so we're just hoping for some surprise result like we did in Paris-Nice.
Expectation: Top 20 Watch Out For: Mick Van Dijke
Vuelta a Colombia
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Gijs Leemreize
66
78
77
76
65
70
74
74
60
62
72
76
68
65
26
Alexandr Kulikovskiy
73
64
68
71
64
70
73
78
61
78
79
65
67
66
28
Jaime Roson
67
78
77
76
61
67
70
77
53
54
74
73
66
58
32
Leo Hayter
73
77
73
68
74
74
74
71
61
66
75
66
70
75
24
Dinmukhammed Ulysbayev
70
76
74
72
72
72
71
72
60
62
65
68
64
71
27
Bryan Raul Obando
64
74
73
72
69
67
70
73
51
60
64
77
65
70
24
Kenny Elissonde
63
75
73
70
60
71
72
74
63
52
61
58
69
60
34
Ricardo Broxham
69
71
71
71
73
70
70
70
60
67
68
68
65
73
25
Tactics
This is the first race where a trained Leemreize leads the line to try and show his abilities. Kulikovskiy is also here to try his luck in the two flat stages. We hope our riders will try to get into breaks here given we don't really have a top GC contender.
Expectation: Top 15 Watch Out For: Gijs Leemreize
Cheshire Cycling Tour
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Hugo Hofstetter
74
62
66
70
64
71
71
75
73
77
78
71
68
66
31
Logan Owen
73
65
67
69
62
73
71
72
78
64
71
68
74
64
30
Diego Rossi
77
65
68
70
72
74
73
69
75
68
69
70
65
76
25
Daan Hoole
73
68
68
67
74
74
76
69
75
68
69
70
70
71
26
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
25
Piet Allegaert
74
59
63
66
65
74
75
62
72
72
71
67
65
68
30
Jo Kogstad Ringheim
69
65
65
64
63
70
66
68
75
70
70
63
64
63
34
Kenny Elissonde
63
75
73
70
60
71
72
74
63
52
61
58
69
60
34
Tactics
Our cobbles unit is back, and it is unchanged, as it will be for most of the season! We do not expect to challenge for the top spots, but we're hoping the depth pays off with a decent return.
Expectation: Top 20 Watch Out For: Diego Rossi
E3 Prijs
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Hugo Hofstetter
74
62
66
70
64
71
71
75
73
77
78
71
68
66
31
Logan Owen
73
65
67
69
62
73
71
72
78
64
71
68
74
64
30
Diego Rossi
77
65
68
70
72
74
73
69
75
68
69
70
65
76
25
Daan Hoole
73
68
68
67
74
74
76
69
75
68
69
70
70
71
26
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
25
Piet Allegaert
74
59
63
66
65
74
75
62
72
72
71
67
65
68
30
Jo Kogstad Ringheim
69
65
65
64
63
70
66
68
75
70
70
63
64
63
34
Kenny Elissonde
63
75
73
70
60
71
72
74
63
52
61
58
69
60
34
Tactics
The first PT cobbles race, and the expectations stay mostly the same as in Cheshire.
Expectation: Top 20 Watch Out For: Diego Rossi
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Startlist
Nat.
Name
FL
MO
MM
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Mick Van Dijke
69
73
76
78
71
74
75
72
67
71
74
76
72
72
25
Hugo Hofstetter
74
62
66
70
64
71
71
75
73
77
78
71
68
66
31
Logan Owen
73
65
67
69
62
73
71
72
78
64
71
68
74
64
30
Diego Rossi
77
65
68
70
72
74
73
69
75
68
69
70
65
76
25
Daan Hoole
73
68
68
67
74
74
76
69
75
68
69
70
70
71
26
Tim Van Dijke
77
61
66
70
75
73
76
74
66
73
71
65
73
77
25
Piet Allegaert
74
59
63
66
65
74
75
62
72
72
71
67
65
68
30
Jo Kogstad Ringheim
69
65
65
64
63
70
66
68
75
70
70
63
64
63
34
Tactics
The cobbles team goes for the hattrick, this time having a wildcard in the form of MVD in the lineup. Can he help supplement the rest? We'll find out.
Expectation: Top 25 Watch Out For: Mick Van Dijke
We do expect to fall behind further after March, unless something simply spectacular happens somewhere. What we do need to do however, is to keep scoring consistently, even if they're on the lower end of the scoring spectrum.
Edited by AbhishekLFC on 14-11-2025 08:22
Looking at the squads you send it'll probably be a harder month for you than February, but maybe there will be some surprises? Especially MvD could be up for another one after his P-N stage win.
Looking at the squads you send it'll probably be a harder month for you than February, but maybe there will be some surprises? Especially MvD could be up for another one after his P-N stage win.
Already wanted to say I agree with you, but then MVD has biased the scales further
